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Vernal Equinox: Balance in a Time of Imbalance

I found a post from exactly one year ago and, unfortunately, I’m in a similar place. I thought this year would be different but, alas, I’m here…in this post about a day not working out the way I wanted it to.

I’m exhausted and overwhelmed. I’ve taken on too much and have fallen way behind online and in real life. Looking back at this post from last year tells me something: I need to change. I accept that.

Easier said than done, as they say. I’ve got to agree. They are right.

I’ve never liked the term “balance” because, as I’ve stated numerous times, it’s unattainable. But today is the first day of spring. The Vernal Equinox.

This is a time of balance.

On the equinox, day and night are of equal length as the sun crosses the equator. Today, we experience the same amount of darkness and light—outside and within ourselves. Take a moment to meditate, to reset. Adjust any imbalances you feel.

I wrote that just two years ago. I’m going with it. Though it seems contrary to what I’m saying here, it’s not. Adjusting imbalances is not quite the same as trying to achieve balance.

While I won’t be chasing my tail in a futile attempt to attain complete balance in my life, I will be sitting. Just that. Sitting. Breathing. That’s nice, too. And paying attention. To the things I’m neglecting that need more attention and the things I’m spending too much energy on that are draining me. I will try harder to listen to my inner self.

I found this, too:

This is a time of beginnings.

We are being offered a fresh start. Spring cleaning removes dust, dirt, and clutter from our homes. The debris that has accumulated over the cold months can be swept away, leaving an inviting space. Our external environment affects our internal one. In this way, we are helping clear our minds as well.

I needed to see that. To reread those words. To remind myself what I believe to be true. And to do something about it.

The Vernal Equinox is a time of balance and beginnings. It’s a perfect time to take stock of your life and press the reset button. It’s also a great time to start new projects or dust off an old project and breathe life back into it. Mother Nature is backing you up right now. What will you do with this gift?

Balance? What’s that? It is only our own expectations that we don’t fulfill. The world continues to spin, to turn from one season to the next, regardless of our preparedness. It has no expectations for us. It is, it does, it moves on. If the seasons can be out of whack, why can’t we? We need to be kind to ourselves. Be. Breathe. Accept: What is and what can be. What is not and what won’t be. We are, and the world turns. Will what we strive for make any difference to the size of the ripple we leave?

What IS that? I know. I can’t stand all this “balance” we’re supposed to have. All the people out there who can tell you everything you need to know to have a happy, balanced life are adding external pressure to those internal expectations you’re talking about. We’ll never fulfill all our expectations and, you’re right, we need to accept that and do what we can. 🙂 Here’s to being kind to ourselves. (I don’t know why that is such a difficult thing to do.) That ripple will only appear after we add our pebble to the water. Not when we’re sitting on the edge of the pond trying to balance it on our nose. 😉

Yes, yes, yes. Kind to ourselves. Particularly when others aren’t. And they’re probably hiding behind walls hoping nobody discovers their inadequacies too. I love that image “sitting on the edge of the pond trying to balance it (our pebble) on our nose”. How clever are you. I think that is a great concept for a book, or a story, or a post at least. Love it! It needs a wider audience than just a throw-away comment in a comment box. I replied to a comment of Sherri’s (at the Carrot Ranch I think) last night, that we should make a collection of these wonderful Rough Writer’s quotes. I think I’ll have to start it now. I wish I could remember all the ones that had gone before.

The pebble-on-nose thing was an off-the-cuff response but I can see that in a picture book. 😀

Don't you love when you find a gem in a comment?! I've created whole posts based on part of a comment I've written. And I've seen some hilarious, thought-provoking, insightful, amazing comments on Lemon Shark and all around the blogosphere. I absolutely love that. I've talked with others about how there should be awards for best blog comments!

I hear you, Sarah. Complete balance is a moving target, so it seems that spending some time breathing in the center while addressing the extremes is a good approach. I plan to work on that too this spring. Happy Equinox and new beginnings 🙂

Ha! 😀 Yes. Balance is a moving target. Yet we keep chasing after it. Exactly…addressing those extremes and bringing them a bit closer to where they should be. Less energy spent on some, more on others. Here’s to centering ourselves. Happy Spring!

I just feel like balance (“true” balance) is unattainable. We will never be completely balanced or fully caught up. Things keep coming at us. But, on a brighter note, if we accept that, we can reduce a hell of a lot of stress. ❤ Sorry. That wasn't quite a magic potion. But there's always wine. 🙂

There is, right? I mean, honestly, how can we not struggle? We can only juggle for so long before we exhaust ourselves. This time of year reminds me that a certain amount of balance can be achieved. The rest… Let it go. 🙂

I like your way of viewing the equinox as a time of balance, but that balance is hard to achieve or at least hold onto. Like standing on tiptoe, nature manages it only twice a year.
I enjoyed your post on this last year and love that you’re quoting your own words back at yourself. Change is difficult, and sometimes we have to go over the same ground several times before we can step off the roundabout and go somewhere new.

It really is hard to achieve and, if we ever even do, we can’t hold on to it. I love your standing on tiptoe analogy. It IS like that.

Yeah, I love to throw my own words back in my face. 😉 Seriously, it’s interesting to look back and see how far I’ve come or if I’m in the exact same place. Change is, indeed, difficult. I’m stuck in a roundabout for sure.

If everything in life was equally balanced how boring that would be! Some things are more important, harder to achieve, require more effort than others. So that means there can never be true balance. So stop chasing it. It doesn’t exist, and that’s a good thing. I think where we go wrong is that we sometimes ascribe the wrong value to things, and that’s when life starts to feel out of kilter. And btw, you’re not alone. I ALWAYS feel like that! My life controls me, not the other way around, and I feel like I’m always behind with everything! 🙄

Ha! Hadn’t thought of it as boring. I long for boring sometimes… Completely agree that some things are more important, more difficult, require more effort… There can never be true balance. I’m with you there, sister. ❤ There is a lot of advice out there on how to "get" it but, honestly, I think if we stop trying to get it, we'll be much happier.

I pretty much always feel like that, too. Off kilter. I write these posts but then it's difficult to listen to myself. Why??? I could have written your comment. We are so alike in many ways. And they're not good ways. I hope we have some awesome things in common, too. 😉